BBC - GCSE Bitesize - Blood

Science
Blood
One function of blood is to transport dissolved substances, including hormones, around the body. Blood supplies all the organs and tissues in the body. The heart requires its own constant blood supply in order to keep beating and this is delivered through the coronary arteries. A network of arteries, veins and capillaries keep the blood circulating the body.

The blood
Blood is a liquid tissue consisting of:

Plasma Red blood cells White blood cells Platelets

One of the functions of blood is to transport materials around the body. White blood cells and platelets are part of the body's immune system, but plasma and red blood cells are involved in transport.

Plasma
Plasma is a straw-coloured liquid. It transports dissolved substances around the body, including:

Hormones Nutrients, such as water, glucose, amino acids, minerals and vitamins Waste substances, such as carbon dioxide and urea Red blood cells
Red blood cells contain a protein called haemoglobinhaemoglobin : The red protein found in red blood cells that transports oxygen round the body . This sticks to

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BBC - GCSE Bitesize - Blood

oxygen, allowing it to be carried round the circulatory system.

Cells tissues and organs

Animal cells can form tissues, tissues can form into organs and organs form into organ systems.

Tissues
Animal cells and plant cells can form tissues, like muscle tissue. A living tissue is made from a group of cells with a similar structure and function, which all work together to do a particular job. Here are some examples of tissues:

Muscle The lining of the intestine The lining of the lungs Phloem (tubes that carry dissolved sugar around a plant) Root hair tissue (for plants to take up water and minerals from the soil) Organs
An organ is made from a group of different tissues, which all work together to do a particular job. Here are some examples of organs:

Heart Lung Stomach Brain Leaf Root Organ systems

An organ system is made from a group of different organs, which all work together to do a particular job. Here are some examples of organ systems:

Circulatory system Respiratory system

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BBC - GCSE Bitesize - Blood

Digestive system Nervous system Reproductive system Leaf canopy

Heart
The heart is a pump that sends some blood to the lungs and some blood to the rest of the body each time it beats. The blood on the left side is kept separate from the blood on the right side. This is called double circulation and is a more efficient way of delivering oxygen to the tissues than single circulation. Blood enters the heart through a vein and collects in an atrium . The atrium is emptied into a ventricle which contracts to put the blood under pressure. The blood is forced out through an artery as a valve prevents it flowing back to the atrium. The artery also contains a valve to stop blood flowing back to the ventricle when the ventricle relaxes.

Routes through the heart Deoxygenated blood

Deoxygenated blood passes through these blood vessels, valves and parts of the heart:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Vena cava Right atrium Tricuspid Right ventricle Semilunar Pulmonary artery Lungs

Oxygenated blood
Oxygenated blood passes through these blood vessels, valves and parts of the heart:

1. Pulmonary vein
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BBC - GCSE Bitesize - Blood

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Left atrium Bicuspid Left ventricle Semilunar Aorta Body

The left ventricle exerts more pressure than the right ventricle, and so it has a thicker more muscular wall. The atria (plural of atrium) exert less pressure than the ventricles so they have a thinner muscular wall.

Heart problems
Narrow rigid arteries need more pressure to pump blood through them. Increased blood pressure can lead to heart problems over time. Cholesterol contributes to the narrowing of arteries, so a change in diet can lead to a healthier heart. Leaking heart valves make blood circulation inefficient. They can be replaced in open heart surgery by transplanted valves from a donor, or mechanical valves. A faulty pacemaker causes irregular beating of the heart which in turn causes blood circulation to be inefficient. Artificial pacemakers powered by a battery can be fitted without needing open heart surgery. The problems of fitting mechanical or electrical heart components include:

Rejection by the immune system Finding a way of reducing the size of the components to fit inside the body Providing a power supply for pacemakers
In some cases a heart transplant may be needed. It's difficult to find suitable donors with healthy hearts that match the tissue type of the patient that needs them. People with heart transplants need to take drugs to stop their immune system from rejecting the heart for the rest of their lives. This can lead to

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BBC - GCSE Bitesize - Blood

greater risk from infections.

The circulatory system

Blood carries oxygen and dissolved nutrients to the body's cells [ cell: Basic unit of life. Unicellular organisms only have one cell. Multicellular organisms have many cells. ], and waste products away from them. The circulatory system consists of:

The heart, which is the muscular pump that keeps the blood moving. The arteries, which carry blood away from the heart. The veins, which return blood The circulatory system to the heart. The capillaries, which are tiny blood vessels that are close to the body's cells. The capillaries exchange materials with tissues.
The diagram outlines the circulatory system. Oxygenated blood is shown in red, and deoxygenated blood in blue. Now try a Test Bite. Back to Revision Bite

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